Courage to Change, a Missions Memoir 12 Years in Post-Communist Slovakia

This is a story of two middle-aged women, educated and motivated for Christian service, who accepted the challenge to do something new and bold with their unique gifts. One was Joyce De Ridder, who had degrees in sociology, social work, alcohol and drug education, and rehabilitation counseling and had spent most of her adult years in academic institutions. The other was Joe Ann Shelton, an internationally acclaimed gospel singer, who was in recovery after completing treatment for addictions to pain medications and alcohol. Together they sold everything in the U.S. and went to Slovakia, a country emerging from communism and still bearing its mental effects.

This book is Joyce's memory of the twelve years they devoted to Slovakia, the programs established, the courses taught, the materials written and published, the resources developed, and the people they loved and helped to save themselves from addictions.

It all began when two devout women, old enough to retire, asked: What's next?